Barsoton to attend Kolkata 25 km road race

Kenya's Leonard Barsoton, Daniel Chebii and European champion Lonah Chemtai Salpeter will be the athletes to watch out for at this year's Kolkata 25K race in India on December 15.

Barsoton, aims to evolve from his dominance in the cross country ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and will be in India's premier road race, a World Athletics Silver Label event, to prove he has the credentials for the Olympics where he intends to compete in the 10,000m race in Tokyo 2020, reports Xinhua news agency.

However, he must be strong enough to take in his stride the course record set in 2017 by Berlin marathon champion Kenenisa Bekele of 73:48 minutes.

"I have not had a good season in 2019 and missing out on the World Championships has really made me work extra hard to shake off the rust and focus on the race ahead. Kolkata will be a good race and with top challengers, but I want to focus on making myself ready and fight out strongly," said Barsoton.

Up against Barsoton will be compatriot Daniel Chebii and Ethiopia's Tariku Bekele, the latter a brother of the 2017 winner.

Barsoton is a two-time world cross country silver medallist, as a U20 runner in 2013 and then as a senior in 2017, while Bekele was a world indoor champion over 3000m in 2008 and four years later took the 10,000m bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

In addition, Eritrea's Tsegay Tuemay and Ethiopia's Bayelign Yegsaw, will return to Kolkata. The pair were second in 2017 and 2018 respectively. "Once again some of the world's best distance runners will be seen competing on the streets of Kolkata," race promoter Vivek Singh said.

In the past three years, since the race went international, the overall depth and quality of the elite field has risen every year.

European 10,000m champion Lonah Chemtai-Salpeter, who now runs for Israel but trains in Kenya will be the top woman in the race.

Chemtai holds an Israeli record in the marathon of 2:19:46 from the Prague Marathon in May and she will be up to set a new record on the Kolkata course to beat the current one set by Ethiopia's Degitu Azimeraw in 2017 of 1:26:01.

Tanzania's Failuna Matanga, who has finished third last two years ago will be another favourite in the women's race. Birke Debele and Guteni Shone of Ethiopia will have a real shot at the title.

( With inputs from IANS )